Telescope Construction Delayed Due To Blizzard Warning in Hawaii

The recent blizzard warnings issued by the National Weather Service delayed the construction of a large telescope in Hawaii.

According to Weather.com, the blizzard warning was for the Big Island's volcanic peaks of the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. The warning says that 5-8 inches of snow is possible above 11,000 feet through Thursday. Winds were forecast to be sustained at 45 to 65 mph with gusts to 85 mph possible.

The Associated Press reported that the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope was in preparations, and that the large telescope is supposed to be built near the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea. But the recent snowy conditions that started to develop on Monday closed the access road.

The construction of this large telescope is a $1.4 billion project, which should help the scientists see up to 13 billion light years away and possibly have a glimpse into the early years of the universe.

Though this might sound as a great achievement, some people are against the construction because the telescope is being built near the summit of a mountain that is considered sacred by the Native Hawaiians. Last year, a groundbreaking and Hawaiian blessing ceremony were disrupted by protesters.

Ryan Lyman, the meteorologist for the Mauna Kea Weather Center, told The Associated Press that the winds were pounding the area and that the snow was all over the place.

The question is: is this snow unusual?

The straightforward answer is no.

It might be surprising to hear a snowfall forecast for Hawaii, but it is more common than you might think.

Ken Rubin, the assistant professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Hawaii says that "it snows here every year, but only at the very summits of our three tallest volcanoes (Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea and Haleakala).The snow level almost never gets below 9,000 feet in Hawaii during the winter, but since these mountains are taller than 13,600 feet, 13,700 feet and 10,000 feet, respectively, they get dusted with snow a few times a year. It rarely stays on the ground for more than a few days though."